


Baking Lessons

by hurinhouse



Category: White Collar
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-21
Updated: 2015-03-21
Packaged: 2018-03-18 22:46:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3586827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hurinhouse/pseuds/hurinhouse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neal is ready to make some financial changes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Baking Lessons

"Remember, you don't want to sell more than 49 percent."

"Right." He has no plans to relinquish control; he just doesn't want to deal with daily details. Besides the fact that Moz would never forgive him for letting someone else oversee any of his assets.

That's why Neal brought Greg along. Gregory Miller, with Strock, Miller and Gillespie, attorneys at law. He's been letting Greg deal with all the groundwork but today they have a buyer and Neal's presence is needed. 

They round the corner, step into the office and Neal stops, his heart rate skipping just a beat. Someone very familiar sits at the conference table.

"Greg, Mr. Caffrey, come in and have a seat. I'd like to introduce my client, Elizabeth Burke. Elizabeth, Greg Miller and Neal Caffrey."

"Good afternoon, Gentleman."

Neal sits directly across from Elizabeth, the little sneak. He assumes Peter knows about this. El may be adventurous but she won't spend this kind of money without Peter's input.

Greg goes into a long spiel regarding the assets of The Greatest Cake, for the sake of the potential buyer, of course, who probably knows more about the place than Neal does.

Elizabeth is calm and confident. She sends a smoldering look Neal's way every so often. It reminds him of when they were flirting, when Peter had insisted on taking things slowly, demanded the two of them court Neal instead of falling into bed. He remembers the heady rush of-

"Mr. Caffrey?"

"Sorry?"

He sees the bow of El's head from the corner of his eye, knows she'd hiding a smile.

"We're ready to begin."

"By all means."

"Mrs. Burke would like- "

"I'd like to purchase a minimum of fifty one percent."

She receives a slightly appalled glare from her attorney. If he knew her as well as Neal does, he wouldn't be surprised she's stealing his reins. 

It doesn't faze Greg any, "I'm sorry Mrs. Burke. My client is only willing to part with forty nine percent."

"Well," she places her palms on the edge of the table, "I guess we're done here," and rolls her chair back to stand. Both attorneys follow suit reluctantly while Neal eyes Elizabeth, trying to keep his smirk in check. 

"Mrs. Burke, I'm sure we can come to an agreement."

"My client has no interest in small stakes, Greg."

He and El let the argument continue and while they smile at each other Neal remembers the conversation that morning...

_"So you're getting get rid of it?"_

_"No, I just don't have time for day-to-day decisions and taxes and ... "_

_"And all the boring things that law-abiding citizens do every day?"_

_"If the laws weren't so boring, abiding by them would be easier."_

_Peter hauls him in for a kiss, "Not with you around."_

_"Well, good luck, Sweetie." El cuts in for her own round of kisses before grabbing her keys and coat._

_"Elizabeth, where are you off to so early?"_

_"You're not the only one with business meetings, Mister."_

_Peter grins, leads the way to the car._

"Wait." Everyone halts.

"Neal- "

"I'd like to hear the lady out, Greg."

"Alright."

Everyone pushes back to the table and Neal asks, "What's your proposition, Mrs. Burke?"

She's ready. It's not just a ploy - she's been planning this. "The bakery is utilizing half of each day on baking and selling, correct?"

"I believe so."

"I'd like to use the off hours for catering."

"For your events."

"Some of them. Staging, food prep."

"Sounds reasonable."

"And to store some of our supplies."

"There _is_ plenty of room."

"I'd also like to reserve the bakery for one two-hour time slot each month."

"For?"

"Baking lessons. For my husband and myself."

"Baking lessons."

"Private baking lessons."

The implication hangs heavy in the room and both attorneys look at each other. Neal thinks it's getting a little warm in here himself. He loves that she doesn't bat an eye.

"My husband gets a little awkward learning new things in front of others," El explains as a casual aside.

"Did you have a particular baker in mind for these lessons?"

"I was hoping you could make a recommendation, Mr. Caffrey."

"Maybe later you can explain the exact nature of lessons you're interested in; I'm sure I can accommodate. Mrs. Burke."

Neal can imagine what he and El must look like, fucking each other with their eyes and coy pauses and turns of phrase. Greg's about ready to have an aneurism on behalf of Neal's bank account but El's attorney is barely holding back his Cheshire grin. 

"Mr. Caffrey and I need a few moments to discuss this in private. Neal?"

Elizabeth runs her finger slowly down her neck behind her hair, hidden from everyone but Neal. She stops at the neckline of her dress, right above the spot Neal had bitten her that morning. If Neal were to jump over this table and stretch that edge of fabric down, he'd see something that looks like a hickey. She'd told him then she'd make him pay, the next time they were alone. He never realized being on the receiving end of payback could be so delicious.

"Neal?"

"Yeah?"

"I cannot recommend this sale."

"Greg, thanks for looking out for my best interests but I'm going to go with my instincts on this one."

"You understand she would be in charge. Anything you want, she'd have the power to say no."

"Or yes." Neal purrs, eyes never leaving El's neckline.

"Well. Yes." Greg darts a perplexed look toward Elizabeth's attorney who returns in kind.

"Then, I think we have a deal."

Elizabeth smiles, extends her hand, which Neal kisses gallantly. "I think it's going to be a pleasure working with you, Mr. Caffrey."

"You can plan on getting your money's worth, Mrs. Burke."


End file.
